Debate in the Qur’an: A Form-Critical Study

Qur’anic Studies long acknowledged the indisputable place of debate ( jadal ) as a principal genre in the corpus. To date, however, a form-critical typology of the debate genre still remains a desideratum of research. Significant roadblocks include the pervasive quality of polemics and apologetics in late antique rhetoric and the equally extensive repertoire presented in the Qur’an. An added complication is the vexing question of apocalyptic and eschatological discourse in both biblical and qur’anic scholarship. By means of a methodical examination, this article catalogues a comprehensive set of debate formulae and corresponding speech-forms, ranging from eschatological prophecies to prophetic announcements. Thus, form criticism opens a rare window onto the rhetorical world of the Qur’an.